Chapter Fifty–Four
“Kiss me,” I said.
“...What...?”
After leaving home, I‘d headed straight to where I knew they would be. Somewhere I knew that I definitely shouldn‘t be.
But there was no hesitation as I‘d confidently walked up and knocked on their door. And when Cai had answered, I‘d ignored his confusion and demanded the one thing I knew could make me feel better.
Because if it felt anywhere near as good as the first time, then maybe it would be enough to make me forget for a moment that everything was falling to pieces around me.
“Kiss me,” I repeated.
His eyes were wide, stunned at my request, but he wasn‘t moving. I could see he was still in the same attire he‘d been in earlier; the formal clothes making his body somehow look even more fitted.
I quietly sighed impatiently whilst his head tried to comprehend exactly what was happening.
“Aria–.”
However, I didn‘t wait for him to finish his sentence. It wasn‘t words I wanted right now... it was him.
I walked up and pulled on the collar of his shirt until his face was within reach of my own.
“Please, Cai...,” I whispered, as I looked up slowly from his lips to his eyes.
He was so close now that it caused a shiver of anticipation to run through my body. I needed this, I needed him, and I could see in his eyes that he wanted me too. The tension between us was becoming so intense that it felt tangible. 1
The cold night breeze swept around us and it only made the warmth coming from him even more inviting. I loosened the hand I had hooked onto his shirt and ran it all the way along his chest, feeling him under m y touch, until it rested on his broad shoulder. I wanted him closer, his body still feeling too far away.
My heart jumped a little when I saw him finally lean in closer and place his hand on the side of my head, his thumb resting against my cheek tenderly. And instinctively, I closed my eyes as I moved towards him, preparing myself for what would happen next.
But instead of feeling him against my lips, I felt him shift away... and kiss my cheek instead.
“No,” he said quietly. “Not like this.”
I snapped my eyes open to look at him.
“No… no, please, I need this,” I said and grabbed onto him tighter. “Please, Cai... I want you.”
He closed his eyes and looked pained, almost as if he was internally having a battle within himself.
“Aria–”
“No, you said you wanted me,” I said, my voice becoming more frantic. “Why are you doing this now?”
“Because I honestly don‘t know if it‘s me you want right now, or if it‘s just you finding an outlet for your grief.”
I could feel as my cheeks began to burn in humiliation, my eyes tearing up, and instantly I dropped my
side as if he‘d just stung me. His words left me embarrassed and hurt over his rejection, and... angry. Angry that everyone was choosing to disappoint me today of all days.
Chaptei Hity Out
hearing people saying that to me
sternly. “You couldn‘t even stand to look at me today and yet somehow you‘re now on my doorstep begging for me. Excuse me if I‘m a little sceptical of
do you even care? This is what you wanted, right? You just wanted to sleep with me?” I argued.”
his hands but he took a step away, creating a small distance between us. I couldn‘t help but flinch at his movement
now. And I honestly think that maybe, deep down, you do actually want me too... but the way you‘re acting right now just tells me that you‘re in too much pain to
teeth. “There‘s nothing wrong with
it is part of
calming himself
promise I‘ll be there for you, even if that’s just as a friend. But I have more self–respect than to sit back and let you use me because of the feelings I have for you. Because I do want you... and I honestly want nothing more than for you to tell me right now that I‘m wrong
silent. I wanted to speak, to tell him he was
pressed. “Tell me that I‘m wrong and it‘s me you actually want. Or
on the spot decision I had expected to deal with when coming here. I wasn‘t ready for that sort of
he
now. I… I need to
took several steps away but Cai called out to me. His expression changed to one of worry and I could feel he was about to chase after
are
walking off into the night away from him. There was no point in staying any longer. I
you‘re going home?”
knowing where I was going but I knew I
it in. I screamed out into the sky; my frustration finally getting the
them most. I had needed Aleric to believe me, to take my side. I‘d needed my father to push for Thea‘s arrest, or at least confinement until it was safe to find more
thoughts out of
alive and I wouldn‘t be fighting with Aleric and my father. I wouldn‘t
around me, signs of the past starting
and my father weren‘t willing to do what needed to be done, then maybe would just
Fuck it.
purpose towards the one place I could get my hands
used to kill Myra. I would make it agonising for her
happy with my intention to defy the order given to me. I winced,
was determined to keep going no matter
it was too late
marked by the Goddess, chosen, a Saintess, and no order should be able to contain me. If I wanted to go kill Thea, then goddammit, I would go kill her.
in my head, screaming against the unbearable pain it caused, until they finally broke off me like chains... and, instantly, I gasped with relief when the weight was lifted. It was as if an immediate
...I was free.
faster. I kept going until, finally, I came to the building where the evidence was kept locked up. The silver knife would be in there
here many times before during my Beta heir rounds but it felt like I was seeing it in a completely new light given how dark it already was outside. The entire place felt too empty and quiet but I knew
weaved through the hallways, remembering the way easily until I saw the room up ahead. A room guarded
I greeted cautiously in a flat voice, approaching him slowly to gauge his response.
“Beta heir? Why are you here
to pick something up. It‘s for the
It was definitely going to help with solving the issue of Myra‘s murderer on
Chesterbrity Fou!
realised that something wasn‘t right
in the morning, Ma‘am. The evidence locker is kept shut until daylight hours. The warriors are Alpha ordered to stand
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!